An implanted penile prosthetic is effective in relieving erectile dysfunction in men.
A penile prosthetic typically includes a cylinder that is implanted in a corpora cavernosum of the penis, a liquid reservoir implanted in the abdomen that communicates with the cylinder(s), and a pump located in the scrotum that is employed to move liquid from the liquid reservoir into the cylinder(s).
In a typical application, the user squeezes a bulb of the pump multiple times to incrementally draw liquid out of the liquid reservoir, into the bulb, and eventually into the cylinders. The repeated squeezing of the bulb moves the liquid from the reservoir into the cylinders, which incrementally deflates the reservoir and incrementally inflates the cylinder(s) to eventually provide the user with an erect penis. The user may return the penis to its flaccid state by selectively transferring the liquid from the cylinder(s) back into the reservoir.
The above-described penile prosthetics have proven effective in relieving erectile dysfunction in men. However, surgeons and patients have expressed a desire for improved penile prostheses.